Saints Row Reviews
Saints Row is a franchise that has its best days behind it. Consequently, the latest iteration is dull, dated, and lacking oomph. The open world is great, as are the side hustles. However, this doesn't make up for its many shortcomings. Fans of the franchise may overlook the tedium, but I could not.
Saints Row (2022) is a mixed bag. The story and characters are only decent and there are a lot of bugs to iron out. The gameplay has only slightly changed since the previous games. That said, the character’s interactions made me laugh and the gameplay is just enjoyable, with a few improvements over the past games' already solid gameplay and a ton to do. I found it difficult to rate this one. There are a lot of points where I feel it could be better, but I still enjoyed many elements of this. It’s one that I somewhat reluctantly recommend.
My favourite Saints Row game to date is the third entry. It was just the right mix of over-the-top action while still producing a story I cared about in a world that felt interesting and fun to explore. This Saints Row reboot is unfortunately a step back in that regard. It is still fun for sure and I enjoyed my time with it, but repetitive missions, some cringe dialogue, and a world that feels soulless detracts from what I expected to kick off the next generation of Saints Row.
This probably isn’t a bad game if you approach it as its own thing, independent of any of the expectations created by previous entries. But as a Saints Row title it leaves a very bitter taste.
I hate saying it, due to the fact that Saints Row was one of my most loved series in its first two iterations, but its deteriorating quality of life issues have carried over to its reboot a near decade after being shelved.
Saints Row is a game without soul and this is probably the biggest disappointment after all these years for the franchise.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Saints Row is an entertaining experience, with problems such as lack of personality or how repetitive it can become, as well as serious problems in its technical section. It's not the triumphant return that it seemed it would be, but it may be able to satisfy the less demanding fans of this franchise.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Saints Row is a reboot of the game series hated by some and loved by others. This is not much different with this reboot. The game retains its clunky charm. In some areas you notice that the game has gone a long way forward, but in other areas also backwards. You actually miss that extra touch of innovation. Nevertheless, it brings a ton of laughter and fun in co-op.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Saints Row is not the reboot the series needed, significantly limiting the levels of insanity and comedy that are the hallmark of the series, while maintaining a gameplay that is now dated and in need of a serious makeover. This made it a decent but soulless title, definitely forgettable in today's landscape. If you're looking for a not-too-demanding open world it can still wring a few laughs out of you, but at the moment Saints Row smacks too much of a wasted opportunity. The series has great potential, but it needs a real leap forward if it is to have a future.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The reboot of Saints Row is failing both as a reboot as well as a good game due to the game running poorly, a sandbox riddled with bugs and a boring story with just a few fun characters. Blowing stuff up is good and all, but Santo Ileso simply isn't a fun place to create chaos in. Driving the expensive cars is simply the best part, but steering clear of Saints Row at launch is by far the best way to go.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
I’d advise going into Saints Row with lowered expectations. If you can do that, Saints Row brings chaotic fun and over-the-top mayhem to the world of Santo Ileso.
The Saints Row reboot really brings the franchise back to when it was just a street gang trying to rise up the ranks. While the story does have its moments with a large variety of fun activities to do alone or with a friend, it’s unfortunately bogged down by outdated gameplay mechanics and technical issues.
It's sad to admit, but Saints Row has become exactly what it used to mock within the genre and there's not a single reason to check out this underwhelming reboot.
The new cast of characters and their interactions with each other is great and is, in my opinion, the best part of the game. As for the rest, if you’ve played the past games, you’ve probably seen and experienced everything else the game has to offer.
With a generic open world, an uninteresting cast, and an extensive list of bugs, Saints Row fails in its core mission to introduce the franchise with pageantry to a new generation. Here you can still find traces of the uncompromising creativity that once put the series on the industry and gamers map, but for the most part, Volition's work shows that renewing for the sake of renewing isn't always the best choice.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Saints Row franchise has been on a roller-coaster ride ever since Saints Row 4 was released, mainly since the game design became really confusing as to what direction the developers wanted it to go. It has gone so many changes throughout the years which some fans loved and hated. It tried to win back old fans by sticking to the old formula of lunacy, while trying to attract new generation of gamers through its relatable story. It is far from perfect and while there are minor hiccups in this game, we can assume that Deep Silver wanted to it go in a definite direction, a crime-centric game filled with comic relief and craziness.
Ultimately, Saints Row may not be the grand return to the franchise that fans were hoping for, but that doesn't mean it's not worth giving a look. Despite a poorly-paced story with average characters, it still has a ton of content and a sandbox that is ripe for hours of co-op fun.
Technical problems take the experience two steps back, since I met several bugs and after the day one patch. the development team would have to work on the title for at least a year more and maybe we would be talking about one of the best chapters in the franchise.
Review in Greek | Read full review
The biggest issue with the new “Saints Row” isn’t the lack of humor or well written characters, but consistency and a coherent narrative. In some ways, the franchise is too afraid of its past and still struggles to find its footing and look to the future.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Imagine a huge bustling world yours for the taking. Beautiful sandy deserts, towering skyscrapers, endless enemies to kill. Now imagine doing the same things you’ve done in other video games countless times in this beautiful world. That’s Saints Row.